Communication Studies in Paranormal Endeavors
by AnonomousX
Summary: After hearing of Pierces death a distraught Annie takes a moment for herself to grieve and compose herself, but instead has a conversation with an unlikely participant. Follows directly after 5-3 Basic intergluteal numismatics.


**Standard disclaimers of ownership apply.**

 **Reviews as always are greatly appreciated.**

She opened the door with a little more force than she meant to, and it banged loudly against the ceramic tiles on the wall. Wincing under the caustic glow of florescent lights Annie walked with purpose to the other end of the restroom. Reaching the far side she began pacing back and forth frantically, her hands trembling and her breathing shallow and ragged. Staring at the tiled floor Annie concentrated on trying to slow her pulse before what she was feeling turned into a full blown panic attack. In her state she hadn't even noticed the gentleman in one of the stalls until he stepped back and the automatic flush engaged.

He stepped across to the sinks giving her a passing glance before washing his hands. She stood there frozen realizing her mistake. She was in the men's room. As a matter of fact it was the same men's room she'd cornered Jeff in when she tried to have Rich inducted into the study group.

"I'm so so sorry." She said apologetically, but the man just offered her a soft smile.

Turning off the faucet he flicked his hands dry before walking over to the towel dispenser. Gathering a bit to dry his hands off, he reached down and flicked the lock on the door before turning back to her.

Her eyes widened and her panic flared back anew as she reflexively put her hands out .

"What are you doing?" She asked the fear evident in her voice.

His smile widened a bit as he shook his head. He walked back to the sink and gave himself an appraising look in the mirror before speaking.

"Don't worry Annie. My intentions are friendly." He said. His deep voice had a soothing quality that Annie almost thought sounded familiar. As a matter of fact she was sure she'd never met him before, but everything about him had a familiar quality. He was tall and thin with shaggy dark hair and light eyes. His dress was a little out of date but he looked good in it. She guessed his age as mid-twenties or so, and he seemed neither alarmed nor offended by her appearance in the men's room or her reaction to him locking the door.

"You just seemed like you could use a moment without interruption" He finished not taking his eyes off his own reflection.

Annie considered him silently for a moment as he stared back at himself. He looked pleased with what the mirror showed him, but she got the sense that it wasn't what he was used to.

"Do I know you? Are you a student here?" She asked cautiously.

"Ohh we've had a couple of run ins I'm sure, and yeah I used to be." He said glancing at her again with that same warm smile. "But what you're really wondering is how I know your name…." He paused looking back into the mirror. "Come on… All the students here knows the names of the Greendale seven."

At that Annie's eyes welled up a bit and she turned away. "We aren't seven anymore." She said her voice cracking.

He leaned against the sink and folded his arms. "Oh? Has something happened?" He questioned. His voice a little eager for Annie's liking.

Rubbing the tears away from her eyes, she considered him fully for the first time. Damn he was tall, she thought. Even slouched against the sink he still towered over her. She knew she should still be concerned, the door seemed a long way away, and he was smack dab between them. But there was something disarming about his casual demeanor that forced her to consciously remind herself to be alarmed. The only thing that bothered her is he wouldn't look at her full on for more than a few seconds keeping his face turned away from her, only giving her a side profile.

"I just found out one of my friends passed." She sighed heavily trying to fight back more tears.

For a brief moment the man looked like he considered attempting some sort of comforting gesture before abandoning the idea. The slight smile he'd had from the start faded and while he didn't look at her directly she could see his features change to a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry to hear that…." He whispered in his low voice. The news seeming to have as profound of an impact on him as it was on her. "Pierce I assume." It wasn't a question but he still waited for her to nod.

"Our friend Shirley just told us… Well me and Jeff." She said sorrowfully. "He's gathering the others. I… I needed a minute." She finished leaning back against the cold tile wall, her head resting against it as she starred at the floor.

"How did Winger take it?" He asked catching her off guard.

"You know Jeff? And what do you mean how did he take it? He's devastated.. His friend is dead." She said with a little more bite than she intended.

As before he showed no signs of apology or offense to her response, instead his voice softened a bit before he clarified.

"I thought Winger and Pierce didn't get along very well that's all. I knew Pierce pretty well, and he always left me with the impression that he thought Winger didn't care for him."

"They had their ups and downs but Jeff loved Pierce in his own way. Actually out of the group I'm worried about him the most. He'd never admit it but Pierce had a profound impact on him." She said just now coming to that realization. "They had their moments of closeness." She finished. The first signs of a smile starting to play at the edges of her lips. "They were good for each other, even if they'd never admit it.

The man nodded knowingly. "You sound confident about this." He said a hint of his own smile returning.

"Well I know Jeff pretty well." She replied, obviously proud of the fact.

"You're good for him too." He said under his breath but she still caught it.

Curiosity getting the better of her she took a couple steps towards him. "I'm sorry but are you sure we've never met? I can't get past the feeling that we know each other. You seem so familiar to me, but I can't place where. Did we have a class together?" She said stopping before him.

He shifted away from her scrutinizing gaze moving in the direction she came from. "Spanish I think, maybe some others."

She wanted to press the issue further but liked how she was now closer to the door and he was against the far wall. She decided on one last query.

"Did you attend my de la de los muertos party?"

His smile widened and his voice contained a bit of humility. "Oh yeah I was there."

"What was your costume?" She asked in full detective mode.

He paused shaking his head a couple of times. "Uh I don't remember I think a comic book character of some sort."

She made a mental note to ask Abed if he knew.

"We're about out of time." He said out of know where.

Her brow furrowed a bit. "What do you mean?"

Shaking his head he side stepped the question. "You have to tell him you know? It has to be you. It's not that he doesn't love you. On the contrary, he loves you so much it scares him to death… Keeps him paralyzed."

Annie shook her head incredulously. "Excuse me? What are you talking about?"

"You were Pierces favorite you know. He wants you to be happy. That road leads to Winger, but he loves you too much. Preoccupies himself with all wrong kinds of what ifs, he simply won't risk losing you."

"I… I don't love Jeff.." She said meekly. "We're just friends."

"Sure you do." He said as a matter of factly. "Everyone knows it, and that's fine as long as someone realizes that the assumption of Winger is the strong one out of the both of you is wrong." He said pausing a moment to let her digest. "You're going to have to lead him Annie. Show him it's OK, show him what he's missing by doing nothing. Winger is very risk versus reward oriented. Deep down he knows you're worth the risk. Show him the reward."

She stood there dumbfounded. Unable to process what was being said to her by an apparent stranger. "You remind me of Pierce." She said at last. "In all his bouts of crazy old racist ramblings out of nowhere from time to time he'd have these amazing moments of clarity."

He huffed amusingly at the description. "I wish you could have met him when he was younger. He was more clarity, less crazy. The other thing he got from his dad?" He said nodding to himself. "Listen Annie, in the movies the guys has some revelation at the last second. and runs after the girl sweeps her up in a kiss and everything is happy ever after. You and Jeff are like that but the guy is you, Jeff is the girl, and instead of moping around her apartment eating Ben and Jerry's, He gorges on Broccoli or kale or rice cakes. Because, and this is no secret. Winger's as vain as Pierce was crazy." He said his voice showing signs of urgency.

"You kinda sound like our friend Abed." She said playfully.

"Well even the robot gets it right from time to time." He replied equally playfully.

She quirked her eyebrow in warning and he splayed his hands out defensively.

"What? He's a weird kid that's all I'm saying." He said glancing over her to the door. His smile faded and his expression changed to almost regretful. "After all this time wanting and worrying Winger will treat you like a goddess Annie, but it's all on you."

A loud knock on the door startled her and she couldn't help but yelp.

"Annie are you in there? It's Jeff. Is everything OK?" His voice came muffled through the door.

She looked back to the stranger, her face flush with embarrassment, and for the first time he was looking at her head on albeit with his head slightly bowed.

"Better get that." He said encouragingly. "And remember what I said."

She nodded turning towards the door. "I will." She said earnestly "You know if you and Pierce were as good friends as you say you should come with us. I'm sure everyone would like to hear any stories you have about him."

His reply was jovial but there was noticeable change in his voice. It sounded different than before but now unmistakably recognizable.

"That sounds streets ahead." He said his tone intentionally droll, and Annie froze. Her hand was a heartbeat away from flipping the latch on the lock. It hung there and started to tremble.

"Pierce." She whispered. Her eyes widened and she swallowed hard as she turned to face him, but there was nothing there.

Another knock followed by Jeff calling for her caused her to jump again and her legs threatened to give out.

"Yeah… YES…. One second." She said, walking down the length of the room to no avail. She quickly moved back to the door and unlocked it throwing open the door to see Jeff standing there, a worried look on his face.

"Are yo.." Was all he managed before she jumped up and wrapped him up in a big hug. He held her tightly as she nuzzled into him. He sighed contently holding her against him. Catching himself enjoying the moment, his body reflexively went rigid. She pulled her head back enough to look into his eyes, her face a wash of emotions.

"There will be no more of that." She said to him confidently.

He looked questionably at her but she knew on the inside he was freaking out with worry. She didn't want him to let her go so she continued quickly.

"I like it here Jeff. I like it when you hold me, and if I'm right you do too. So please for me…. Stop worrying."

His eyes softened and his embrace tightened around her. "Truth is Annie…. I never wanna let go." He said in a shaky voice.

She looked back at the door she just left for a moment and smiled before turning back to him. "Then don't." She said leaning in and kissing him. He gently pressed her back against the door and she wrapped her legs around his waist to steady her. He cupped her cheeks in his hands as hers roamed through his hair. The kiss was passionate and intense and when they came up for air the hunger for more was evident in both their eyes. Annie rested her head back while Jeff laid his forehead against her chin.

"We should go. The others are going to start worrying." He said breathily. She simply nodded in response. He eased away and she slid down him till her feet were on the floor.

"But after we need to talk." She said looking up into his eyes.

"Whatever M'lady wants." He nodded.

He reached out for her hand and she entwined her fingers in his. A silent agreement being settled subconsciously between them.

"Ready?" He asked smiling down at her.

"I am." She nodded in agreement with a smile all her own. She gave the door one more look her grin faltering.

"Jeff?"

"Yes"

"Is Beast Master a comic book?"

He chuckled and looked at her. "No Idea. But Abed probably knows lets go ask him."

Her smile returned in full. "Yeah lets do that."

They started towards the study room hand in hand.

"You'll never guess how I found you." Jeff said.

"How?" She asked

"I was wandering the halls, and my hand to god someone who could have passed for Pierce's son stopped me and asked if I was looking for you.. Told me he saw you come in here."

"Isn't that interesting?" She said smiling, giving his hand a squeeze.


End file.
